Chapter I: Foreword

The tractor of to-day is built in almost as many types and designs as there are tractor makers, and is far from being as standard as the automobile. There are tractors with one driving wheel, with two driving wheels, with three and with four, as well as three arrangements of the crawler principle; there are two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers; tractors that are controlled by pedals and levers and tractors that are driven by reins.

Thus if a man who is competent to handle and care for one make is given another make to run, he may be entirely at a loss as to how it works and how it should be handled.

It is the purpose of this book to explain and describe all of the mechanisms that are in common use in tractor construction, to the end that the reader may be able to identify and understand the parts of whatever make he may see or handle.

CONTENTS

PAGE
CHAPTER I
TRACTOR PRINCIPLES
Comparison between tractors and automobiles—What is
required for each—Advantage of understanding the
mechanism—No standard tractor design—Principal
parts of a tractor—Necessity for each 1

CHAPTER II
ENGINE PRINCIPLES
Power attained from heat—Combustible mixture—Principle
of engine operation—Combustion space—Gas engine
cycle—Dead strokes—Flywheel—Starting an
engine—Inlet stroke—Compression stroke—Importance
of compression—Ignition—Advance and retard of
ignition—Power stroke—Exhaust stroke—Production of
power—Vertical and horizontal engines—Firing order 9

CHAPTER III
ENGINE PARTS
Base—Bearings—Cylinders—Crankshaft—Piston—Connecting
rod—Wrist pin—Piston rings—Valves—Cam—Valve
mechanisms—Cooling system 30

CHAPTER IV
FUELS AND CARBURETION
Oxygen necessary for combustion—Forming a mixture—Rich and
poor mixtures—Carbon—Preignition— Carbureter—Spray
nozzle—Evaporation of fuels—Carbureter principles—
Extra air inlet—Effect of heat on mixture—Loading—
Strangler 52

CHAPTER V
CARBURETERS
Carbureter parts—Manifold—Action of carbureter—Float
feed—Kerosene and gasoline—Descriptions of
carbureters—Pump feed—Use of water in the
mixture—Application of heat—Fuel pumps—Air
cleaners—Governors 70

CHAPTER VI
IGNITION
Principle of ignition—Point of
ignition—Preignition—Advance and retard—Parts of
ignition system—Magnetism—Induction—Magneto—Action
of armature—Armature windings—Circuit
breaker—Circuit—Shuttle and inductor
armatures—Sparking current—Grounded circuit—
Magneto parts—Impulse starter 102

CHAPTER VII
BATTERY IGNITION SYSTEMS
Principle of spark coil—Windings—Timer—Atwater-Kent
system—Vibrator—Spark plugs 131

CHAPTER VIII
TRANSMISSION
Transmission parts—Clutches—Necessity for change speed
gear—High and low gear—Types of change speed
gears—Necessity for differential—Principle of
differential—Drives—Worm 143

CHAPTER IX
TRACTOR ARRANGEMENT
Tractor requirements—Tractor types—Engine position—
Front axles—Spring supports 167

CHAPTER X
LUBRICATION
Importance of lubrication—Effect of oil—Kinds of
oil—Effect of temperature on oil—Using the right
kind of oil—Burning point—Viscosity—Lubrication
charts—Oiling systems—Oil pumps—Mechanical oiler—
Oil cup—Grease cup 175

CHAPTER XI
TRACTOR OPERATION
Using a new tractor—Breaking in—Daily
inspection—Driving—Shifting gears—Driving on
hills—Using the engine as a brake—Cold weather
conditions—Starting in cold weather—Protection
against freezing—Starting a tractor 201

CHAPTER XII
ENGINE MAINTENANCE
Fuel system and carbureter—Carbureter adjustment—Dirt
in the fuel—Running on kerosene—Care—Magneto and
ignition system—Care of magneto—Smoothing platinum
points—Adjustment—Timing a magneto—Testing a
magneto—Ignition trouble—Compression—Testing
for compression leaks—Valve grinding—Valve
timing—Carbon—Removing carbon 213

CHAPTER XIII
LOCATING TROUBLE
Engine will not start—Engine loses power—Engine
stops—Engine misses—Engine starts; but stops—Engine
overheats—Engine smokes 245